One of the most memorable moments in comic book movie history is the upside-down kissing scene in Sam Raimi’s original Spider-Man movie, a move that Kirsten Dunst says was actually awful to film.
Speaking during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, Dunst revealed that it was “miserable” filming the scene due to a number of factors.
“I remember Sam Raimi giving me a book of famous kisses to be inspired but also he really wanted to make it special even though it was kind of miserable actually doing it,” Dunst said. “It was pouring with rain, freezing. Tobey couldn’t breathe, so it was almost like I was resuscitating him.”
Tobey Maguire wasn’t a fan of the legendary scene either
Dunst’s comments echo that of her scene partner Tobey Maguire, who has been vocal for years about how annoying it was to accomplish the scene. In a previous interview (via THR), Maguire noted that he had trouble breathing while kissing Dunst due to the rain and his mask.
“There was rain pouring down my nose … and then Kirsten pulls the mask up to [my nose] and it’s blocking the air passage there, so I couldn’t breathe,” the said. “And then she’s kissing me, blocking the air passage there, so there’s nowhere else to breathe.”
Despite the troubles, the kiss has stood the test of time as one of the most iconic kissing scenes in film history. Maguire would go on to reprise his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. As for Dunst, she has also said in the past she would be opening to returning as Mary Jane Watson if given the chance.
